[DavenportSharky]

Gem Cwpan Her Rygbi Ewrop rhwng y Gweilch a Sale.
7.30 S4C HD ko 8pm

Welsh commentary I guess but at least we can watch live.

[eBike]

English commentary should (?) be on the RED button. Assuming you have a red button on your remote.

The weather could be a massive factor as the Brewery Field pitch is, or has been in recent URC games, very poor in wet weather. Chuck in wind and driving rain and the game could be a slugfest lottery.

Ospreys are moving away from the Liberty/Swansea Stadium for financial reasons hence the switch to Bridgend. That said, Ospreys are putting on lots of fanzone type attractions to boost attendance.

[Bucks1861]

Confirmation of what we expected.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68726885

Alex Sanderson says “We have to rest George (Ford) and there is some tactical rotation that is going in place,"

[Altishark2222]

Date/Time GMT TV Channels
Watch the Ospreys v Sale Sharks game live on the BBC i-player
Ospreys v Sale Sharks
Rugby-Union European Rugby Challenge Cup Round of 16
Sat 6th April 2024
8:00pm

[eBike]

Friday - wet during the day, remaining windy but heavier rain overnight
Saturday - starting dry but rain and wind building
Matchtime - 50+% chance of rain, wind 20ish mph

[RinTin]

Grind it out sort of game then. Pack dominance key, keep it tight and play territory.

With Ford out who is best to play at 10 for this sort of game? I ideally would like Curtis there, but that stadium is a cauldron. Low capacity, crowd close so he’ll need to show some stones in the face of that.

[RugbyMarvel]

I would like to see mix of rotation with some starters.

Harrison
Creevy
Harper
Beaumont
Bamber
Nield
Dugdale
JL Du Preez
Quirke
R Du Preez
Reed
Tuilagi
S James
O’Flaherty
Veainu

Taylor
Rodd
John
Wiese
Bamber
Warr
Curtis
Carpenter

[poyntonshark]

Is Will Griff ready to play? Hasn't it been a while since he last played?
I thought someone mentioned that Manu seemed to be on Holiday too.

Really want to see Curtis starting, we've given him an extended contract, and he's a backup fly half, let's start using him like one. I thought we had caught on to the idea that switching Rob around was doing him no favours at all.

[RinTin]

Curry will start this weekend for sure. Needs game time and is our captain.

Manu is away so likely Bedlow or RMW to 12.

Said it before and I’ll say it again - I don’t want JLDP or Carpenter anywhere near this. They are irreplaceable for us in their positions and focus needs to be on the league (assuming rotation is the intention for this game).

[Olyy]

In Kieran Crichard's report today Axe said Bedlow is likely out for the season after having surgery on his hand,

Not sure I'd risk Manu in this, he's very important for the run in and every carry he does has me wincing

Equally not sure I'd trust RMW to start at 12 - he's looked a bit deer in the headlights this season, still think he should be off getting time at Caldy (or Sale FC). Then again you only gain confidence with experience - and when that click's he's got the raw skills to be something special - maybe we do chuck him in at the deep end

Personal preference would probably be Curtis at 10 and then RdP/Sam James in the centres (pick your poison for 12/13) - but not overly comfortable with any of our midfield combos if we're missing both Manu and Bedlow


Will be interesting to see how much we rotate - we've just had a two month break so not like the players have much mileage in the legs, might be more of a case of who has bumps and bruises that need monitoring (and in the case of Ford: it being mandated)

[RinTin]

To clarify, when I mentioned rotation it was in light of our injury returnees and the apparent curse on our squad this year.

[45jumper]

I think the comments about Carpenter and JLDP being irreplaceable for the run-in are correct. I'd also be tempted to completely rest Wiese but I'd like to see him come on and cause chaos for half an hour. Assuming LJames isn't fit (what on earth has happened to him this season?) I'd go with something like...

Veanu
Roebuck
SJames
RMW
TOF
RDP
Quirke

Rodd
Taylor
Harper
Bamber
Andrews
Dugdale
Curry
Beaumont

Reps
LCD/Creevy, McIntyre/Harrison, AOF/John, Wiese, Neild, Warr, Curtis, Wills

Think it'd be a big call to drop Curtis straight in at 10, and given the likely weather I don't think a RDP/SJ centre partnership has the go-forward either. Concerns about Veanu under the high ball but we can always move SJ back there if required.

[RinTin]

I think the comments about Carpenter and JLDP being irreplaceable for the run-in are correct. I'd also be tempted to completely rest Wiese but I'd like to see him come on and cause chaos for half an hour. Assuming LJames isn't fit (what on earth has happened to him this season?) I'd go with something like...

Veanu
Roebuck
SJames
RMW
TOF
RDP
Quirke

Rodd
Taylor
Harper
Bamber
Andrews
Dugdale
Curry
Beaumont

Reps
LCD/Creevy, McIntyre/Harrison, AOF/John, Wiese, Neild, Warr, Curtis, Wills

Think it'd be a big call to drop Curtis straight in at 10, and given the likely weather I don't think a RDP/SJ centre partnership has the go-forward either. Concerns about Veanu under the high ball but we can always move SJ back there if required.

Not too far away! Team as follows:

15. Telusa Veainu, 14. Arron Reed, 13. Sam James, 12. Rekeiti Ma-asi-White, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Raffi Quirke, 1. Ross Harrison, 2. Agustin Creevy, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Ben Curry ©, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. JL du Preez.  

Replacements:  
16. Tommy Taylor, 17. Si McIntyre, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Ellis, 20. Cam Neild, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Connor Doherty, 23. Alex Wills.

Tom Ellis and Connor Doherty back which is great. Gus getting a break which I'm all for. No Tom Curtis.... Can only assume injury and SJ is back up fly half.

[Olyy]

Really disappointed not to see Curtis involved - so weird how little he gets used!

Good to see Ellis back - does make the short term signing of Andrews more of a head scratcher, with Wiese/JL and Ellis all back from injury now

Is this Asher's first senior start?

Excited to see how the Raffi/RdP/RMW/SJ lineup goes

[FarnhamShark]

Having both Ellis and Doherty back is great news, and there's plenty of weight in the row. Presumably the numbers on Ben and Dugdale's back don't mean much. Unfortunately it doesn't look like sidestep weather for Asher, but hopefully he'll more than hold his own.

[eBike]

Screenshot 2024-04-05 at 12.33.20.jpeg (147.36 KiB) Viewed 2098 times

Ospreys Team, not sure the link will work

[Olyy]

Looking forward to seeing their 8 play, he looks the real deal

[RinTin]

Very strong side. Worth mentioning as well that the Ospreys are without Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan in the pack.

Our pack will need to stand up in a big way tomorrow. I also hope RDP doesn't let the intrusive thoughts win....

[DavenportSharky]

Ospreys v Sale Sharks
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FRA)
ARs: Vivian Praderie (FRA) & Jonathan Gasnier (FRA)
TMO: Thomas Charabas (FRA)

[Halifaxshark]

Good 23 and I wish the lads all the best, but where is Luke James?

The biggest mystery of this season.

[Alex]

Looking forward to it, hoping for a smooth journey down tomorrow!

[Evo]

Feel Creevy's experience will be critical as to how we go, in what is forecast, tricky conditions on what sounds like is not a flat track....
Perhaps will boil down to who wants it most.
Looking forward to it, first visit to Brewery Field, first visit to Bridgend.....should be fun!!

[poyntonshark]

Really disappointed not to see Curtis involved - so weird how little he gets used!

Good to see Ellis back - does make the short term signing of Andrews more of a head scratcher, with Wiese/JL and Ellis all back from injury now

Is this Asher's first senior start?

Excited to see how the Raffi/RdP/RMW/SJ lineup goes

I have it on good authority that Curtis has an ankle injury.

[Olyy]

Saw on twitter that S4/C won't be doing English commentary, even on the red button, tonight - EPCRs rules around licensing (guessing ViaPlay or whoever it is that are showing the other challenge cup games have first refusal on English commentary games and S4/C can get Welsh games on the cheap if they only do them in Welsh?)

[Lord Elpus]

I have it on good authority that Curtis has an ankle injury.

It's now better as he's currently playing for Sale FC.

[Centrethreequarter]

Anyone else having difficulty finding the game on iPlayer?

[StalyShark]

Anyone else having difficulty finding the game on iPlayer?

S4C channel.

[Centrethreequarter]

[StalyShark]

On iPlayer, go to channels then all the way to the bottom of the list.

[Olyy]

Don't get these scrum penalties - Asher is rock solid and the Ospreys loosehead tries to go round the outside to attack, loses his feet and collapses but somehow that's our fault? Are they saying Asher is dragging him down, despite the loosehead shifting round so much?

[Olyy]

Not playing the conditions well
Half was 35mins of scrums

Gap not insurmountable but hard to see where points are coming from other than maybe if one of Reeds breaks pays off

[PappjeShark]

It’s anyone’s guess, Olyy. For the one they got their penalty from, he seemed to indicate Asher collapsing it when it looked clear as day that he’d spreadeagled the loosehead.

Think Raffi been poor so far.

[Lord Elpus]

h-t 8 - 3

Wasted two good opportunities in first minutes - should have scored.

Ref getting scrum pens wrong - no change there. Creevy throwing in poor. Last pass for their try forward as normal these days. Tipuric bossing breakdown and buttering up the ref.

[ageinghoody]

English audio commentary on Beeb sport website.

It's about 20/30 seconds ahead of the TV picture but I just paused it briefly a few times until it was pretty much in synch.

[Olyy]

Our support play is so poor considering we're playing against such a good openside - everytime we send RMW up on the crashball there's no one anywhere near him and we end up getting penalised for holding on

[Lord Elpus]

RMW not strong enough for crash ball.

[DavenportSharky]

Monsieur Reynal is due to retire shortly. Shame it wasn’t at half time.
I’m sick of the crowd shots.

[StalyShark]

How was that not a forward pass?!

[Streatham Shark]

Was that not horrifically forward for their try?

[Lord Elpus]

ffs - missed con though

[StalyShark]

This is rubbish. Embarrassing again.

[Lord Elpus]

ffs ffs

[Halifaxshark]

Give Nye the last 25 minutes.

[PappjeShark]

Glad to see it’s not just me who thought it was forward. And then a RdP brain fart to compound the error. This is now rather depressing to watch.

[Bennett2392]

The difference between Ford and rob is massive. I didn’t expect us to do very well tonight but it’s still frustrating to watch.

[Halifaxshark]

It’s the same with Warr and Quirke in my opinion.

[Streatham Shark]

Lovely try

[Olyy]

hard to see where points are coming from other than maybe if one of Reeds breaks pays off

Called it

[Olyy]

Curry with a maul try and Rob finds his boots!

Tbh I think it should've been a PT, looked like it was taken down by Morse, when they were checking the grounding

[Olyy]

Ospreys 23 - 15 Sale

Not many positives to take from that